Machine for inserting transverse wires in solid-rubber tires.



No. 754,552. PATENTE'D MAR. 15,1904.' A. E. ELLINwooD. MACHINE EURINSERTING TRANSVERSE WIRES IN SOLID RUBBER TIRES.`

5 W I www, i

Inl 1\ /|I||I||||\.I\/

No. 754,552. Y PATENT-ED MAR. I5, 1904.

' A. E. ELLINWOOD.

MACHINE EUR INSERTING TRANSVERSE WIRES IN SOLID RUBBER TIRES.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG.5, 1503.

No MODEL.' n '1 s HBETs-SHEET 2.

PATENTED MAR. 15, 1904.

A. B. BLLINWOOD. v MACHINE POR INSERTING 'IRANSVERSE WIRES IN SOLIDRUBBER TIRES.

APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 5, 1903.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3 F0 MODEL.

No. 754,552. PATENTBD MAR` 15, '1904.

- A. E. ELLINWooD. MACHINE EUR INSERTING TRANSVERSE WIRES IN SOLIDRUBBER TIRE RPPLIoAIIoN FILED AUG. 5, 190s. No' uoDEL. '1 sHEETs-SIIEET4.

mi Nanms PE1-:ns co.. nuoro-uwe.. wAsmNafvoN. u. c.

- 110.754,552. EATENTED MAR.`15,'1904.

` A A. E. ELLINWOOD. l MACHINE EOE INSEETING TEANSVERSE WIRES IN SOLIDRUBBER TIRES.

.APPLICATION FILED' AUG. 5, 1903.

No nonni.. v 7 gums-SHEET 5.

. N5. 754,552. PATBNTED MAR. 15, 1904.

A. E. BLLINwooD.

MACHINE FOR INSERTING TRANSVERSE WIRES IN SOLID RUBBER TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1903.

No IIoDBL.. '1 SHEETS-SHEET s.

No. 754,552.- PATENTED MAR; 15, 1904.

A. E. ELLINWOOD. MACHINE FOR INSERTING TRANSVERSE WIRES IN SOLID RUBBERTIRES.

ArrLIoATIoN Hmm AUG. 5, 1903. lo Holm.. '1 sumssnm 7.

Patented March 15, 1904.

PATENT EEICE.

AUGUSTUS E. ELLINVVOOD, OF AKRON, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR lNSERTlNG TRANSVERSE WIRES IN SOLID-RUBBER TIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters .Patent N0. 754,552, dated March15, 1904.

Application filed August 5, 1903i vTo all whom it may concern:

In the manufacture of certain kinds of tires transverse cross-wires areinserted and vulcanized into the body of the tire upon which the`longitudinal wires are adapted to'rest and 'be sustained with a View toholding and retaining the tire in the channeled iron tire in which it isto be seated. Heretofore machines have been used for the insertion ofcross-wires in this class of tires in which the machine simultaneouslyplaces a cross-wire in position and at the same time bores an openingfor the next succeeding wire. Objection has been found to the use ofthis machine; and consequently the objects of my invention are toproduce a machine in which the insertion of the crosswires in the tireshall lbe rapid and attended with absolute accuracy as to location anddepth of insertion and in which the withdrawal of the needle whichperforates the tire willbe immediately followed by the insertion of thewire which is to be placed in the opening made by the needle.

Another object is to so make-the machine that the longitudinal distancebetween the cross-wires, the length of the wires, and their position canaccurately be adjusted.

To the accomplishment of the aforesaidobjects my invention consists inthe peculiar and novel construction, arrangement, and combination of thevarious parts hereinafter described, reference being had to theaccompany- 'ing drawings, lforming a part hereof.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference-numeralsindicate like parts in the different figures, Figure 1 is a plan of myinvention. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation from the right of Figfl; Fig. 3, anend elevation looking from the bottom or lower end of Fig. l; Fig. 4:,aside elevation looking from the left of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a view lookingfrom Serial No. 168.294. (No model.)

the upper or front end of Fig. 1; Fig. 6, a detail of the shear orwire-cutting device and its accompanying mechanism; Fig. 7, a sectionthrough the tire, showing the needle and wireinserting device; and Fig.8, an enlargeddetail of the mechanism whereby the wire to be inserted inthe tire is fed forward.

In the drawings, 1 represents a flat-topped table, preferably of metal,which forms a supporting medium for the balance of the mechanism, to behereinafter described. This table or platform is supported by four legs2 3 t 5. rIhe power for driving the mechanism, to be hereinafterdescribed, is obtained from any desired or preferred source of power,which may be delivered upon a pulley 6 by means of a belt. rIhis pulley6 is mounted on a shaft 7 in a long bearing 8, fastened to the side ofthe table 1. On this shaft 7 is a spur-pinion 9, which meshes into alarge spur-wheel 10, mounted on a shaft 11, supported by a bracket 12,attached to leg 3 of the table and in a bearing 13, bolted to the underface of the tabletop 1. On the shaft 11 is mounted a mitergear 14:,which is arranged to mesh into a similar miter-gear 15, mounted on ashaft 16, supported by bearing 13 at substantially right angles to theshaft 11`. Upon the shaft 16 is a double cam 17, having races on bothfaces for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

It has been found by experience that in order to properly insert wiresin a tire a puncturing-needle capable of forming an opening in the greenunvulcanized tire is first necessary to make an opening therethrough,which must be immediately followed by the insertion of the wire beforethe opening has time to sufliciently close and seal itself to preventthis insertion.

The needle-operating mechanism is as follows: Transversely across theupper face of the table 1 is a dovetailed groove 18, in one end of whichis arranged to play backward and forward a carriage 19, on the upperface of which is a standard 20, from which projects a puncturing-needle21, whose operation is to puncture at determinate intervals the greenunvulcanized tire. Through the carriage 19 projects a bolt 22, having onits up` per end a nut 23 and on its lower end a head roo' 24, to whichis attached a link 25, the opposite end of which is attached to theupper end of a vertical lever 26, the lower end of which is hinged to across-bar 27, sustained by being fastened to two cross-bars 28 and 29,extending, respectively, between legs 2 and 3 and 4- and 5. On thecentral portion of this vertical lever 26 is a roller 30, which plays inthe race on that face of the double cam 17 which is toward the top inFig. 1, so that as the cam 17 rotates the carriage 19 will bereoiprocated backward and forward, bearing with it the needle 21. Thetire 31, which is presented to the puncturing-needle in an unvulcanizedcondition, is fed into operative `position to receive the stroke of theneedle by the following mechanism: Mounted on the upper face of thetable 1 outside of and in alinement with the slot 18 are guides 32,between which is slidably mounted a carriage 33, rising from whichvertically is a shaft or column 34, near the lower end of which is anadjusting-nut 35, arranged to mesh in screw-threads cut on the outsideof the shaft 34 and to raise and lower by its revolutions thereon.Immediately above this adjusting-nut 35 is a hollow cylindricaltube-like casing having projecting therefrom a long at platform 36, withits fiat portion of a desired configuration to receive the base portionof the advancing tire. It will be obvious. of course, that in puncturingtires of different sizes this platform for the reception of the tiresmay be varied to suit the different sizes thereof. The vertical positionof this platform for the reception of tires is capable of being changedby the revolution of the adjusting-nut 35. Surrounding the shaft 34immediately above the tubular portion of the platform 36 is a similartube 37, having projecting from one side thereof an arm 38, which isperforated vertically and is intended to inclose a straight vertical pin39, rising from the carriage 33, with a view to keeping the tube 37 atexactly the right horizontal position on the shaft 34. From the arm 38projects horizontally a pin 40, on which is mounted a concave-facedroller 41, which is vadapted to press down or rest upon the upperrounded face of the passing tire.

In order to insure sufficient pressure of the roller upon the passingtire, a coiled spring 42 surrounds the shaft 34 and extends considerablyabove its upper end and is pressed down by a cap or hand-wheel 43,mounted on a shaft 44, which enters the upper end of the shaft 34 andiscapable of vertical adjustment by being screw-threaded. From this itwill be seen that any pressure caused by the downward screwing of theshaft 44 into the top of the shaft 34 will exert a correspondingpressure upon the spring 42 and likewise upon the cylindrical portion37, and from thence it is transferred to the roller 41 and onto the tire31.'

From the upper side in Fig. 1 of the drawings and to the right in Fig. 2extends a platform or support 45, which is supported at its outer end inany preferred manner and at its inner end by a bracket 46, fastened tothe table 1. Over this platform, which may be troughshaped on its uppersurface, passes the incoming tire 31, and the inner end of this troughor platform 45 is adapted to abut against and nicely meet one end of theplatform 36, so as to present a continuous course over which the tiremay travel. This platform 45 may be of any desired length and is brokenin the drawings with that object in view.

On the end of the platform 45 is a bracket 47, which sustains a pulley48, for a purpose to be stated.

Depending from the cross-bar 27 are supports 49, between which ismounted a pulley 50. Attached to the lower face of the table l in Fig. 1is a double bracket 51, in the outer ends of which is a cross shaft 52,having mounted thereon a large pulley 53, in exact vertical alinementwith the center of the trough 45 of the platform 46. Rising from thisbracket 51 is a smaller bracket 54, having mounted in its outer end apulley 55. The face of this pulley and the face of the pulley 53 are inexact alinement. Depending at a slight angle from the lower face of thetable 1 in Fig. 1 and the left in Fig. 2 is a bracket 56, having mountedin its lower end a pulley 57, adapted to bear against the face of thepulley 53. A belt 58 passes around the pulley 48, along the base of theplatform 45, over the platform 36, around the outer face of the pulley53, between it and the pulley 57 and over the pulley 57 and down underthe pulley 50, back to the pulley 48. Upon this belt the tire upon whichthis machine is designed to operate is intended to ride and be supportedin its course past the puncturing-needle. In feeding this tire in ontothe platform 45 it is slightly curved and dropped into the trough uponthe belt 58, and as it leaves the platform 36 it is drawn out either byhand or by suitable machinery,which it is here unnecessary to describe,as the means of taking care of the tire after it has received thecross-wires is a matter not pertaining particularly to this invention.

In order to cause a progressive step-by-step movement forward of thetire to insure the regular determinate puncturing by the needle atdeterminate intervals, a second belt 59 is arranged to pass over theupper face of the tire and pass forward therewith while under the roller41 and out over the pulley 55, down under the pulley 53, and over thepulley 57, from thence down under the pulley 50 in immediate contactwith the before-mentioned belt 58, around the outside of the pulley 48and up over a pulley 60, suitably sustained by a bracket 61 above thetire, and along over a number of pulleys 62, sustained in any preferredmanner, by brackets or otherwise, so as to keep above the tire untiljustat the point that the roller is pressing downward thereon.

From this it will be seen that the tire is practically clamped by meansof the roller 41 between the belts 58 59 while under the roller and thatif both belts are moved simultaneously in one direction the tire will,as a matter of course, be obliged to moveforward therewith. In order tocause these two belts to move forward in unison, there is mounted on theshaft 52 a ratchet-wheel 63, which is caused to move forward a definitedistance by means of a long pawl 64 entering the notches in theratchet-wheel. This ratchet-wheel 63 is caused to reciprocate forwardand backward by being slotted to surrounda collar 65, having at one endan enlarged portion to retain the pawl in place and -having on the otherside of the pawl a camv66. This cam is designed to engage pins extendingtransversely from the side of the pawl at both ends of the slottedportion thereof. This collar 65,

\ bearing the cam 66, is mounted on the shaft 11, so that as the cam 66revolves with the at the desired distance' apart.

shaft 11 the pawl will reach out and engage the next adjacent notch anddraw forward the ratchet-wheel 63 a proportional part of its revolution,and this part is accurately determined so as to place the punctures inthe tire The ratchetwheel 63 being mounted on the same shaft as thepulley 53, they revolve in unison and draw forward the two belts at theSametime, the belts being held Vfirmly against the wheel 53 by reason ofthe pressure of the pulley 57.

A coiled spring 67 constantly tends to draw upward the working face orhooked end of the pawl 64, so as to cause it to engage the ratchetwheel63.

As the upper belt 59 is fed under the roller 41 it is steadied andguided by a guide 68, -fastened to the platform 36, through which thebelt must pass just previous to passing under the roller 41.

Having now described the means by which the puncturing-needle is causedto operate and the means by which the tire is supported and fedprogressively forward, a description of the means by which the wires areplaced in the tire follows: The wire which is used .for insertion in thetires is generally steelform of reel may be used, an illustration of'which is not necessary to the comprehension of this invention, and thecoiled condition of the wire is simply indicated Vin Figs. 3 and 5 bybending the wire into a loop. In view of the fact that the wire is inthis coiled condition a wire-straightener is absolutely necessary beforethe wire can be utilized by this machine. Hence I place on the left sideof the table-top 1 a wire-straightener, which consists of an uprightstandard 69, on the beveled sides of which slide a vertically-movablecarriage 70, the vertical position of which is determined by a screw 71,provided at -its upper end with a hand-wheel 72, the lower end of thescrew resting on the standard 69 and the main portion thereof beingthreaded to pass through an ear projecting from the carriage 70. On thiscarriage 7 0 is revolubly mounted a grooved roller 73, adapted tolcompress a wire passing under it against two rollers 74, and thusstraighten any kinks or curvature therein. Of course the grooves in therollers 73 and 74 are in alinement with the center of the needle 21.After the wire has passed through this straightener it passes through areciprocating feeding mechanism for pushing the wire forward a deiinitedistance at each movement ,of the machine. The mechanism by which thiswire is grasped and passed forward is as follows: Mounted in the slot 18on the opposite side of the passing tire from that which contains theneedle-carriage is a carriage 75, mounted on a dovetailed plate whichslides in the groove 18. In the front upper edge of this feeding device(see Fig. 8) are two jaws 76 and 77 both provided with hardened -steelplates 78, roughened sufficiently to firmly grasp the wire, the upperone, 76, being integral with the upright portion 75, the lower one beingpivoted or hinged, so -as to normally hang down free from engagementwith the wire. On the front face of the carriage 65, which carries thejaws 76 and 77, is a rocking pawl 79, so placed that when rocked in onedirection its outer front end or nose will press upward on the lower jaw77 and cause it toengage tlie vwire with great force. In the lower endof this pawl 79 is a notch, into which projects the upper end of a lever80, the lower endv of which is pivoted in a slot in the cross-bar 27.This lever 8O is rocked backward and forward by the following mechanism:On the rear face of the double cam 17 (see Fig. 3) is a race in whichruns a collar 81, supported by an L-shaped lever 82, the upper end ofwhich is hinged to a bracket 83 on the under side of the table-top l.This L-shaped lever 82 is slotted for the purpose of inserting a pin 84therein. This pin projects from an arm 85 integral with a sliding sleeve86 on the lever 80. This sleeve '86 is held in p lace on the lever 80-bya set-screw 87. Definite graduation -marks may be impressed on the faceof the lever 8O to accurately determine the correct position ofthesleeve 86, so as to insure a denite stroke of the lever 80. From thismechanism just described it will be obvious that as the cam 17 rotatesthe roller 81, following the race on the rear face thereof, will swingthe slotted L- shaped lever 82 backward and forward, and thus by meansof the pin 84, arm 85, and sleeve 86 cause the simultaneous rocking ofthe lever 80. The eect of rocking the lever 8O to the right in Fig. 8-will first be to cause the pawl IOO 79 to push with great force upon thelower swinging jaw 77, resulting in tightly compressing the wire betweenthe lower jaw and the upper jaw, and as this pressure continues upon thepawl 79 the entire carriage 75 will be moved forward, drawing with itthe wire a definite determinate distance. The return stroke of the lever80 is attained at the first instance by the complete release of the pawlfrom engagement with the rocking jaw 77, with the result that thepressure of the jaws upon the wire is immediately released and isfollowed by the return of the carriage 75 to its original place. (Shownin Fig. 8.) The positive clamping of the wire just previous to thecommencement of the movement of the carriage 7 5 is rendered necessaryby the fact that the wire must be driven forward an exact determineddistance each time to insure the equal length of the cross-wires whichare to be inserted in the tire.

As the wire moves forward, driven by the previously described mechanism,it passes through shears for severing the extreme end from the body ofthe wire, a description of which now follows. The shear and itsaccompanying mechanism is best shown in Figs. 6 and 7, to whichreference is now made. In the dovetailed slot 18 is a slidable plate 87on the upper face of which is held by a bolt 88 one member 89 of theshear, to the outer end of which is pivoted by a bolt or pin 90 theother member 91 of the shear. The lower end of this member 91 isenlarged and slotted to embrace a collar 92 on the shaft 11. On thiscollar 92 are two cams 93 and 94. On opposite sides of this slottedportion of the member 91 are pins 95 96. The operation of these cams isas follows: As the cam 91 revolves with the shaft 11 it encounters thepin 96 and throws the free end of the member 91 suddenly upward, and assoon as the cam 94 has passed the pin 96 the cam 93 will commence toengage the pin 95 and rapidly return the member 91 to the position shownin Fig. 6, and as the balance of this cam 93 is concentric with thecenter of the shaft 11 it willeretain the member 91 in this positionuntil just before it is time for the cam 94 to operate. The cam 94 is aquick-acting cam to suddenly cause the shear to operate, and the cam 93is a cam capable of retaining the shear in a definite place during thelarger part of the revolution of the shaft 11. Through both members 8991 of the shear is an opening for the insertion of the wire, and theopenings in each member of the shear are lined with a hardened-steelbushing 97 to prevent wear while severing the wire. (See Fig. 7.) It isobvious from this description that if the wire is passed through theopening in both members of the shear and retained there during the timeof the operation of the cam 94 on the pin 96 the wire will be severedsquarely by the upward movement of the free end of the shear 91.

From the side of the member 89 of the shear adjacent to the passing tirethere projects a guide 98, extending sufliciently to just touch the sideof the passing tire when the time arrives for the insertion of the wire.This guide has for its object the directing of the course of the wire tobe inserted in the tire into the proper place. The distance between thetire and the shear is determined and changed at will by means of a screw99, entering the plate 87, which slides in the slot 18. The outer end ofthis screw 99 passes through a plate 100, bolted in the outer left endof the slot 18, and it has on its outer end a handwheel 101, by which itis manipulated. Thus the transverse position of, the shear is accuratelyand readily determined. This is permitted by the fact that at the placewhere the member 91 of the shear passes through ythe table-top 1 thereis a wide slot to permit the adjustment of the shear, and the shaft 11is splined to permit the sliding of the collar 92 thereon. On theswinging member 91 and surrounding the opening through which the wire isdesigned to pass is a one-way clamp. This clamp is held in place on themember 91 by a bolt 102. This clamp consists of two side pieces 103,having mounted between them a blade or clamp proper, 104, the upper endof which is perforated and through which passes a shaft 105, surroundedby a coiled spring 106, the force of which is adjusted by a thumb-nut107. The object and purpose of this clamp is to permit the readymovement of the wire toward the tire and to absolutely block any backpull which may be given to the wire from various causes, such asapoorlybalanced reel on which the wire is wound suddenly turning on itsaxis during the time that the clamps 76 and 77 on the carriage 75 havereleased their hold on the wire and are moving backward to take anothergrasp thereon. Another cause which necessitates the use of this clamp onthe shear is the fact that it might happen that the jaws 76 and 77 mightnot always release themselves from the wire as promptly as the necessityof the case might require.

Experience has shown that in perforating rubber with the use of a veryfine needle and as sharp as can be utilized in ordinary work at thepoint where the needle should come through after perforating the greenunvulcanized rubber will cling to the needle and project a considerabledistance before it is completely punched through, and in order to drivethe needle through a tire it is necessary to pass the needle one-half orthreefourths of an inch through the tire before a complete puncture ismade--that is, the needle should project a considerable distance beyondthe normal outlines of the tire before the last portion of the rubber iscompletely openedand hence in puncturing a tire with the machineheretofore described it will be necessary to drive the needle so farthrough the tire that it would interfere with the mechanism of the shearbefore the opening would be completely made. In order to facilitate thispuncture of the tire and to remove the tire from close proximity to theshear during the perforation, I make the carriage 33, on which the shaft 34 is mounted, which in turn bears the tire-platform 36, capable ofbeing slid transversely to the line of the tire between the guides 32.Motion todo this is obtained in the following manner: Through thecarriage 33 I cut a vertical opening 108, into which projects the upperfree'end of a bentlever 109,

which is pivoted in a bracket 110 on the under face of the table-top 1.The lower end of this lever 109 is slotted and incloses a pin 111 on theupper end of the swinging lever 26. A suitable opening is cut throughthe table-top 1 for the purpose of permitting this movement of the lever109. The operation of this lever 109 is as follows: As the carriagebearing the perforating-needle moves toward the tire due to the rockingof the lever -26 the pin 111 will swing the lever 109 on its pivot onthe bracket 110, so that its upper end in the slot 108 will push thecarriage 33 toward the needle, and hence the advancing needle will meetthe advancing tire, and the perforation of the tire will be attainedmuch more rapidly and more of the needle can pass through the tire thancould other-wise were the tire to stand perfectly still. As the needleretreats from the tire the tire on its platform will likewise retreatfrom the needle and move toward the shear until the projecting end 98 ofthe shear will silbstantially abut against the side of the tire, so`that the wire driven forward by the means heretofore described willcause the wire to enter the opening just left by the puncturing-needle.The operation of this device is as follows: An unvulcanized tire isplaced upon the belt 58 at the end of the platform or trough 45-substantially distant from the main portion of the machine. It is thengradually carried forward due to the motion of the two belts 58 59 untilit passes under the roller 41. By the mechanism hereinbefore describedsimultaneously with the termination of the movement of the tire thepuncturing-needle 21 passes through. As the needle is withdrawn due tothe action of the cam 17 the tire and its supporting-platform 36 iscarried to the left in Fig. 1 until it abuts againstthe projecting tip98 of the shear. Previous to this a wire has been inserted through thestraightener and the feeder-carriage 7 5 and into the shear, where anappropriate length is severed from the main portion of the tire. As soonas the puncturingneedle leaves the tire and it has returned to itsproper place the feeding-carriage driven by the lever 80 is thrownsuddenly forward toward the tire and the end of the wire drives forwardthe severed piece into the tire. The tire then moves forward due to theaction of the ratchet-wheel 63, moved by the pawl 64, a definitedetermined distance. During this movement of the tire forward the shearis operated by itscams and severs the piece of wire then in the shear,and as soon as the tire has ceased its forward movement the needle againpunctures the tire and the operation is repeated.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is v 1. Thecombination in amachine of the class designated of mechanism toprogressively move forward a tire at determinate intervals and fordeterminate distances, a reciprocatory puncturing-needle, means to movethe tire toward the point of said puncturing-needlev -tween saidmechanisms.

4. The combination with a reciprocatory puncturingfneedle, a means tosupport a tire passing in front of said needle, of two belts passingover and under said tire to convey the same forward at a step-by-stepmovement, 0f a ratchet-wheel to move said belts, a pawl to operlate saidratchet and a cam to actuate said paw In testimony that I claim theabove I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribingwitnesses. Y

AUGUSTUS E. ELLINWOOD.

In presence of- N H. P. LIMRIC, C. E. HUMPHREY.

IOO

